HYDERABAD: All India Forward Bloc and Bahujan Samaj Party are acquiring prominence in the state as “parties of the rebels”. They have become the go to parties for whoever is denied ticket by their parties in any election. In the ongoing municipal elections too, several TRS rebels are contesting under the banner of Forward Bloc.

Present TRS minister A. Indrakaran Reddy, who was denied the party ticket by Congress in the 2014 Assembly elections, contested as a BSP candidate from Nirmal constituency and got elected. His close friend and present TRS MLA Koneti Konappa was also denied a ticket in 2014. He contested as
BSP candidate from Sirpur Kagaznagar assembly constituency and won. Later both Mr Indrakaran Reddy and Mr Konappa joined in TRS. In 2018 assembly elections, both were elected as TRS candidates.

In the 2018 Assembly elections, TRS leader Korukanti Chandra was denied the ruling party ticket. He contested as Forward Bloc candidate from Ramagundam assembly constituency and got elected. He was later admitted into the TRS.

In the 2004 Assembly elections, Congress leader and former minister D.K. Aruna did not get the Congress ticket from Gadwal assembly constituency. In the alliance that the Congress then formed with TRS, Gadwal seat had gone to TRS. Aruna contested as Samajwadi Party candidate and won. She later joined Congress and became a minister in Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy cabinet. Congress leaders P. Sashidhar Reddy from Medak Assembly constituency and Kammireddy Ramulu from Metpally assembly constituency contested as Janata Party candidates in 2004 and got elected.

In the current municipal elections, Forward Bloc has become the main alternative party for rebels. In Kollapur municipality, there are TRS rebels in each of the 20 wards. They have all filed nominations as candidates of Forward Bloc. In other municipalities and municipal corporations too, TRS rebel
candidates are contesting as Forward Bloc nominees.

Asked why rebels prefer to contest from Forward Bloc or BSP than as independents, a senior political leader said, “If they contest as independent candidates, they may not get a familiar election symbol. As a result, voters may get confused. Election symbols of Forward Bloc (lion) and BSP (elephant) are very familiar and voters recognise them easily”.

The leader disclosed that sometimes, the rebels have to “contribute” to the party fund before they can get their B forms, thereby getting a prominent election symbol.